MIA BIANCA SABIO BSA 1-F

assignment 1
Chapter 1: Lesson 2
The Self on a Socio-Anthropological Perspective

SUMMARY

Based from the context of socio-anthropological view of human, traits are either
inherited or acquired. The development of self and social behavior is embedded in
one’s culture, gender, family and social interactions that can be explained by
sociological and anthropological perspectives. Whether we came from eastern or
western; culture and social interactions play a vital role in one’s self development or
social behaviors. As Geertz explained, “Culture is not just an ornament of human
existence but the principal basis of its specificity – an essential condition for it.”

NATURE AND NURTURE

Nature (inherited) refers to the things influenced by hereditary, biological factors and
genetic inheritance to the human traits while nurture (acquired) generally describes
the influence of learning and other influences from one’s environment or simply the
traits we possess influenced by the environment we’re living in.
Example: The story of Tarzan shows the concept. He was born human inheriting the
color of hair and eyes of his parents which is classified as nature. However, he was
fostered by apes, so as he grow up, he is adapting the traits or some behavior of apes
which then explains the nurture concept.

THE SELF AND CULTURE

Marcel Mauss, a French anthropologist claimed that self has two faces which are the
Moi and Personne. Moi generally talks about our basic information or identity and
does refers to an individual’s sense of who he/she is and body. The most basic
example of moi is our names. While personnel or personne is composed of the social
concepts of what it means to be who he is. Example would be the traits of a mother --
mothers are strong, patient, supportive, respectful, authoritative and more.

Culture refers to cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values,

attitudes, religions, and others which can be acquired from past generations which is
believed to help in the development of the self. This also serves as the meeting point of
sociology which is the study of societies and how humans act in groups and
anthropology which is the study of humans and the ways they live.

There are two types of culture.

Material culture -- physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use
to define their culture such as homes, schools and churches.
Non-material culture -- nonphysical ideas that people have about their
culture such as symbols, language, values and norms.
According to Catherine Raeff, a developmental psychologist, culture can influence
the way an individual view: relationship, personality traits, achievement, and
expressing emotions.

The Self and the Development of the Social World

This topic focuses on what George Herbert Mead stated. He believed that people
develop self-images through interactions with other people. He argued that an
individual’s personality is a product of social experiences.

Mead’s Development Stages of the Self (Mead’s Development Stages of the Self)
1. imitation (gestures, words) -- “no one” -- engages in imitation because a child can’t
be able to take others roles.
2. play (specific roles) -- “one” other in “one” situation -- able to take one role.
3. games (multiple roles) -- “many” other in “one” situation -- able to understand
interactions involving many people with different purposes.
4. generalized other (role of the group) - “many” others in “many” situations -- able to
imagine how he is viewed by others.
This generally talks about how interactions and social experiences helps in the
development of ourselves. As we interact with others, we are able to gain and adapt
other traits that can either change or develop us.

The Zone of Proximal Development

Lev Vygotsky believes that social interaction plays a critical role in an individual’s
learning process. Specifically includes those knowledge or skills that an individual can
not yet understand and is willing or capable to learn with others’ guidance.
Example: I want to learn how to bake cookies but because of lack of knowledge on it,
I failed to achieve. But then, I asked my mother to teach and guide me on how to
bake and learn the process so that I will be able to know how to do it.

SELF AND FAMILY

Family played a very significant role in the early stage of socialization. Family are our
first instructors in life, they teach us things we ought and ought not to learn. This
knowledge will then serve as our guide in decision making later in life.
Example: A baby girl was born in a happy and complete family. Her parents taught
her what’s good and bad. By that, when she grow up, she knows what will be the
consequences of her actions and decision in life whether it is good or bad.

SELF AND GENDER

Gender is a term that refers to social or cultural distinctions associated with being
woman, man, or neither that may or may not correspond to one’s biological sex and is
one of those loci of the self that is subject to alteration, change, and development.
Example: If an individual considers herself as a woman and is comfortable in feminine
terms, then she should act and demonstrate typically women characteristics,
behaviors and clothing.
Social construction of gender will also appear on the picture wherein it can also affect
the way an individuals’ own self. One example of it is the relation of the gender to the
color of items, like blue for boys and pink for girls.

THE SELF FROM THE EASTERN AND WESTERN THOUGHTS

Cultural relativism refers to equality of cultures. We should not judge a culture by our
own perspective, instead, we should understand each other for we have different
cultures and perspectives in life.

Eastern culture refers to collectivism wherein it focuses on “we” while Western culture
refers to individualism which focuses on “I”. They are different in many aspects such as
care giving, communication, consciousness, education, group identity, language,
opinion, others, transgression, and task orientation.
Example: In school, there are students who works on their own while there are others
who works in group. Western cultured students only focuses on self studying while
Eastern cultured students applies group studying for the greater good of everyone
else.

The Self as Reflected in the Collectivist Teachings of Confucius

In this concept, Confucius highlighted the importance of indulging the self

with the other members of the society.
Confucianism is a social philosophy that delineate the very core of human
relationships, with the end goal of spiritual growth.

The Five Great Relationships of Confucianism

1. Between ruler and the subject
Example: The king should be good to his subjects so that they will be loyal to him in
return.
2. Between father and the son
Example: The father should teach his son good things and the son will be educated
and be good to others.
3. Between husband and the wife
Example: If the husband is good to his wife then the wife will be submissive in return.
4. Between older brother and younger brother
Example: Be considerate and kind to your juniors and the juniors will respect you as
their senior
5. Between an older friend and a younger friend
Example: Be kind to your friends and they’ll be kind to you too.

These five relationships were considered building blocks of social order. This further
ensures the harmony in society and maintaining certain “proper attitude” or the Yi
were expected to adopt in these relationships. Through this we can grow spiritually
giving us proper knowledge on the filiality, loyalty, friendship, discipleship and
fellowship.